“Hand Of Darkness” is the opening track from Bay Area death metal pioneers Autopsy’s suffocating 68+ minute “comeback” record Macabre Eternal. Call it a comeback, sure, but remember they reunited briefly in the studio in 2008 to recorded two tracks for the reissue of their 1989 debut Severed Survival. And a year later they played Maryland Deathfest. Then came 2010’s The Tomb Within EP, their first extended offering in 15 years. You could also get a sense of a post-’95 breakup Autopsy via sister band Abscess’s awesomely crusty, spiderweb-shaking 2010 LP Dawn Of Inhumanity (one of my favorites that year). By now you know legendary drumming vocalist Chris Reifert and guitarist Danny Coralles pulled the plug on Abscess in June of last year while Dawn was still fresh: Clint Bower left the band, they decided to respect his departure and focus full-time on Autopsy. That focus also paid off on Macabre Eternal’s dozen higher-fi implosions. The martial whiplash of “Hand Of Darkness” offers a perfect entry:

Macabre Eternal is out 5/31 via Peaceville. Wes Benscoter (Bloodbath, Cattle Decapitation, Slayer) did the cover art. Take a listen to another standout “Always About To Die” at BrooklynVegan. There are additional samples at Peaceville. Bear in mind none of this prepares you for the 11-minute “Sadistic Gratification.”